Equestrian Terms 101 – What is the near side of a horse?

November 11, 9:33 AMEquestrian ExaminerLinda Ann Nickerson

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The near side of a young horse

Popular culture enthusiasts know about The Far Side, a sarcastic cartoon series by Gary Larson. Did you know, however, that riding horses have both a far side and a near side?

What is the near side of a horse?

The near side of the horse is the horse’s left side, from which the horse is usually saddled and mounted by an equestrian. Traditionally, the rider leads the horse to a mounting block, or mounts directly from the ground, and climbs aboard from the horse’s near, or left, side.

Horseback riders usually dismount from the horse's near side as well

Most Western cinches or English girths are also fastened and tightened from the horse’s near side.

This distinction also makes the horse’s right side also his far side, which is also called the off side.

Why do equestrians usually mount from the horse’s near side?

In ancient and medieval times, mounted equestrian warriors generally carried their swords on their left sides. This made it easier for these soldiers to grab their weapons with their right hands for combat. By climbing aboard his mount from the horse’s near (or left) side, the warrior was able to do so safely and easily – without risking stabbing either his horse or himself.

Many equestrians and horse trainers, both English and Western, do train horses to stand still and accept riders mounting from either side. A horseback rider never knows what obstacles may present themselves on the trail, when mounting from the horse’s far (or right) side might be needed.

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